The Most Stylish Movie You Haven't Seen Yet: Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty

When the Academy Awards nominees were announced, you probably overlooked The Great Beauty, Paolo Sorrentino’s award-winning film, which is nominated for "Best Foreign Language Film." And it deserves to win it. The story of the aging king of Roman high life, Jep Gambardella, the film lives up to its title in more ways than one. But its most easily noticeable triumph is how damn stylish the main character is.

The film begins in an unexpected way: with the death of a tourist. Having paused to snap a picture of Rome, the foreign visitor crashes to the ground—seemingly overwelmed by the city’s beauty. Cut to a scene of Jep’s deliriously wild sixty-fifth birthday party where sex, drugs, and libidinous indulgence take center stage and you can’t help but feel seduced. These two scenes show beauty from all sides, taking you from that first moment of helpless captivation straight through to its darker underbelly. Beauty is the film’s MacGuffin. Jep’s Rome is one of breathtaking architecture, gorgeous women, eloquent conversation, and, of course, expressionistic personal style.

Jep is the kind of man that every Roman guy wants to be, and every Roman girl wants to be with, so he has to dress the part—which he does with great success. In many ways, Jep shows audiences how to be a gentleman. He became the king of Rome not through aggressive action, but through observation—carefully taking the temperature of those around him like some kind of social anthropologist. There are moments of frivolity, but Jep proves deeply engaged with those he chooses to call his close friends.

Jep’s level of care and interest especially comes across in his manner of dress. What he wears is a direct reflection of how he sees the world and what he values most. The most personal item of clothing a man can own is a custom-tailored suit, and that’s practically all Jep wears. A cursory viewing of the film can help even the most sartorially clueless get a feeling for the basics of fit. Jep Gambardella helps audiences understand that everything from forging a new friendship to picking out the right suit requires honesty, effort, and a certain amount of contemplation. We rounded up some of Jep’s best onscreen looks, but, there’s nothing quite like seeing how he wears it on the screen. That’s why we heartily recommend catching The Great Beauty while it’s still in theaters.

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